TV chef James Martin has fuelled speculation he might take over as the host of troubled BBC show Top Gear after months of controversy surrounding the programme.

The 44-year-old television personality is top of the list to replace Chris Evans and he revealed he might have put a bet on himself if the odds were better.

Chris Evans stepped down from the programme in July after just one season following plummeting ratings and claims of infighting with fellow host Matt LeBlanc.

TV chef James Martin (pictured) has fuelled speculation he might take over as the host of troubled BBC show Top Gear after months of controversy surrounding the programme

Martin said: 'Apparently I'm the bookies' favourite. I walked past a bookies in Leeds and saw my name on there, and I thought, "What the hell's going on there?" I was top of the list. But the phone hasn't rung yet...

'I know that's the rumour, but I don't know where I'm going to fit it in.

'I can't even put a bet on myself now because you lot [the press] have made the odds even!

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'I enjoy my cars and I like the collecting of them, but Top Gear is a really tough show - it's a different ball game.'

The chef, who was at the helm of Saturday Kitchen for 10 years, is currently presenting This Morning with Anita Rani and admits the criticism from the public has been a 'rude awakening' for him.

He told The Sun's TV Magazine: 'It's certainly been a rude awakening for me. All of a sudden I've been slagged off left, right and centre.

The 44-year-old television personality is top of the list to replace Chris Evans (left) and he revealed he might have put a bet on himself if the odds were better. Evans stepped down from the programme in July after just one season following plummeting ratings and claims of infighting with fellow host Matt LeBlanc (right)

'Unfortunately, on social media now, people feel they can say whatever they want and there's not a lot I can do about it.'

A BBC spokesperson said: 'This is pure speculation - we don’t expect further changes to the line-up'.

The revamped car show had suffered flagging ratings, with a new low of fewer than two million viewers for the series finale.

The show launched with 4.4 million overnight viewers but then plummeted to 2.8 million for the second episode. The show never went back above that figure.

By contrast, the former Top Gear presenters, who will launch their new Amazon Prime show The Grand Tour in the autumn, bowed out with 5.8 million viewers.

Before the revamped Top Gear had even aired, it was already embroiled in a row over 'donuts' around The Cenotaph.

After LeBlanc and racing driver Ken Block caused an uproar by performing stunts around the war memorial, Evans branded the incident 'disrespectful' and said the footage would not be aired.

Evans and LeBlanc were also forced to deny claims that they were at loggerheads during filming.

LeBlanc, 48, tweeted in March: 'I'm at war with @achrisevans? That's funny, I thought we were pals.'

The Grand Tour, starring former Top Gear hosts James May, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond (left to right), began filming in South Africa in July

Evans, 50, also laughed off the report, tweeting: 'Just been on the phone to @Matt_LeBlanc to confirm we are "at war" as reported in The Sun today. He says, "sure, whatever.." Why I oughta!'

The Grand Tour, starring former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, began filming in South Africa in July.

The name of the programme is a reference to 'The Grand Tour' undertaken by 17th Century Englishmen such as Lord Byron when they visited France, Italy and the rest of Europe.

Its initials will be GT, an inversion of the TG nickname given to Top Gear, highlighting the rivalry that has grown since Clarkson was dumped by the BBC.